Moonlight
by DancingPuppeteer
Summary: Visiting her mother in the small town Konoha is the last thing Sakura wants to do with her summer. However, when a chain of unexplained murders begins, it’s up to her and her strange guide to solve the mystery.
1. Hillbilly Hell

**Author's Note at the bottom**

**Summary: "Will you stop raising your dang eyebrow before it merges in with your hairline?** …**Just who the heck are you anyway!" He smirked an infuriatingly perfect smirk and replied: "Why, your guide to hillbilly hell of course."**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

The innkeeper smiled at the drunken couple before him, showing them both all ten of his yellow teeth. He had no more rooms available but he could easily kick out one of the more sober guests that had already paid. They _were_ much harder to swindle after all.

He politely excused himself and turned to leave, not noticing how the couple made themselves comfortable atop his desk. The innkeeper marched upstairs with purpose, his beer-belly jiggling almost as much as the change in his pocket. He arrived at Room 13, banging loudly to make his presence known. When no one answered, he growled and pulled out his master key. What he saw inside mortified him greatly. He was not horror-struck because a boy only 16 years in age was dead in the middle of his motel room, oh no. He could care less about a teenager he hardly knew…

Murder was very bad for his business.

He quickly shut the door behind him to prevent wandering eyes from catching a glimpse. He knew how much the maids loved to gossip. If this got out then his reputation would be ruined for sure. With a grunt, he set about removing the floral sheets from the bed.

The innkeeper did not question how the boy's body managed to stay particularly warm. It didn't matter to him. Soon he would be in the ground, far away from his motel where no one would ever know he even stayed.

After using said sheets to clean blood from the oak floor, he decided to simply wrap the boy up with them as well. It would do him no good if the wrong person were to see them before they had been properly washed.

"Now where to burry him…?"

The woods, he decided, right outside the village would do. What he doesn't know, is that those trees hold stories.

"You'd better be good or I'll take you out to the woods for the wolves to get ya!"

That is what the older children would tell their younger siblings (Cousins if they were an only child) because their parents told them when they were little. "Demons," they would say, "demons that will rip apart your limbs and then send your soul to the underworld to burn for all eternity!" Too bad the innkeeper has never had any parents or siblings, or cousins of his own.

Maybe if he had, he would not have made the stupid decision to go trotting into the woods. He was walking unknowingly into his own, painful demise.

The innkeeper stopped in a clearing dead at the center of the forest. He dropped his bundled and raised a massive hand to wipe sweat from his brow. "What are you made of, rocks?" He panted down at the mass of raven colored hair poking from in between the dirty blankets.

Naturally, he received no answer. "Bah!" The innkeeper waved a hand dismissively at the messy heap. "Ungrateful brat."

The full moon rose higher in the sky as he clawed at mounds out dirt with his fingernails. "Blasted kid just couldn't wait until I got my shovel back to get murdered could he?" The innkeeper huffed. "I'd sue his butt if he weren't already dead…" Suddenly a low, angry growl erupted from the forest that caused the innkeeper to freeze in his tracks. Slowly he lifted his head to peer into the shrubs in front of him.

Nothing

He simply blinked into the darkness before being over come by full-blown laughter. "I guess you're rattling my nerves a little kid." He smacked the spot beside him but only grasped dirt.

-

-

**Prologue: Hillbilly Hell**

Sakura all but ran from her cabin. She had been the _only_ passenger on board the train, which meant that staff members gave her _needs _their full attention.

"Haruno-san, may I fluff your pillow?"

Yeah, you mean the one she didn't even ask for?

"Oh Haruno-san, I had no idea this was your cabin—"

Uh huh, sureeee.

"—is there anything I can do for you while I am already here?"

In short, she had nearly strangled herself with her own studded belt. "And now I have to spend a whole freakin' _year_ in hillbilly hell!" She snapped, ripping off her shades and jamming them into the front pocket of her ripped jeans. Why her father thought it necessary to spend time with her mother's _other_ family she'll never know.

Speaking of her mum, just where the devil was she?

With a feral snarl, Sakura marched over to the small iron bench and plopped down. Glancing around, she noted that Konoha did not look all that bad. You know, if you were in to trees and sunsets and all that other nature-y crap. In case you haven't noticed, she wasn't.

"You shouldn't leave your luggage on the edge of the platform like that."

Sakura frowned. Those words did not come from her lips. "Oh kami, I'm hearing voices again." A deep chuckle sounded behind her. One that made her spine tingle and her pastel cheeks flush. "Turn around and you will see the _owner_ of the voice."

Sakura has always been a curious girl. Of course, her curiousness has often gotten her into trouble. Needless to say, she's heard the saying 'curiosity killed the cat' plenty of times…but cats have nine lives right?

She turned her head and came face to face with a stomach. A very sweaty, abed stomach that was not covered by a shirt. She must have stared for quite a while since the guy laughed again. "You also shouldn't gape like a dying fish, it is very unbecoming." Sakura scowled, forcing her eyes away from the very attractive stomach and up to his face.

Well crap, she was probably gaping again.

His face was positively GORGEOUS. Like you just want to kick him in the balls for taking so long to come into your life kind of gorgeous. _'He's the freakin' male version of Aphrodite!' _Finally, she managed to gain back her composure and bare her teeth at him. "If you didn't want anyone to stare at your stomach, you should have _covered it up_."

Just because she was on a roll, she also added: "And I did not leave my luggage on the edge if the platform!" The boy raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so those bags over there aren't yours?" She didn't have to look to know they indeed belonged to her. Who else could have brought them? All the other imaginary passengers that rode the stupid train?

Sakura growled and stomped over to retrieve her crimson suitcases. She dragged them back to the boy whose eyebrow up even higher. "Oh, but I thought they weren't yours."

Sakura scowled again."Will you stop raising your dang eyebrow before it merges in with your hairline? Just who the heck are you anyway!" He smirked an infuriatingly perfect smirk and replied: "Why, your guide to hillbilly hell of course."

It took a while for his words to sink in and when they finally did, Sakura decided to make a show of kicking, punching, and cursing at anything that she knew would not retaliate. (Basically everything except for her new guide)

"Are you quite finished? I would like to at least show you to your mum's house before curfew." Sakura's head snapped towards him so fast, she nearly gave herself whiplash. "That woman is not my mum. Don't you go around saying she is!" He shrugged carelessly. "Whatever, I still have to get you to her house by 9:00 and it's already 7:45."

Grumbling, Sakura bent over to get her bags only to be stopped by a hand much paler than her own.

"Here," the boy pulled out a key ring and plucked one off, "go get in the truck. I'll get these." With a grumbled thank you, she took the key and trudged towards the exit. The parking lot (By parking lot, she meant slab of dirt) was completely void with the exception of a single pile of rusty scrap metal that faintly resembled a pick-up truck.

"There is no way in heaven, earth, or hell that I am riding in that monstrosity." Sakura's guide pretended not to notice her comment and simply brushed past on his way to the 'monstrosity.'

"Hurry up, I don't have all day." He called while slinging his load onto the back of his pick-up.

"I said I wasn't ridin—"

"If you're not coming, at least bring me my key."

Sakura frowned but did as she was told. She nearly jumped out of her green tank-top when the engine roared noisily to life. "W-wait! You aren't really going to leave me are you?" Her guide shrugged, leaning back into his worn leather seat. "I'm not going to kidnap you. If you don't want to come then you don't want to come. So what if there is a chance that you might be rapped…" Sakura nearly jumped through the driver's window.

-

-

**I know some people were reading my other stories and I'm sorry. **

**I did not really try that hard on those so they didn't really come out as good as they should have.**

**I want you guys to see that I can write better than that. I'm hoping to show you with this story.**

**Also, the first person to put "Bananas" in their review gets to decide how my OC should look!**


	2. Sherlock Haruno

**Author's Note at the bottom**

**Chapter Summary: Visiting her mother in the small town Konoha is the last thing Sakura wants to do with her summer. However, when a chain of unexplained murders begins, it's up to her and her strange guide to solve the mystery.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**-**

**-**

Hatake Kakashi, chief of Konoha police, ran his fingers through his silver hair exasperatedly. "First the innkeeper and now this." He murmured, his lone eye glistening with a mixture of sadness and frustration. The young girl before him had literally been ripped in half by what seemed to be a rabid animal.

"How unyouthful."

Kakashi looked up at his normally energetic partner in surprise. "I didn't hear you pull up Gai. Where have you been?" Gai flashed him a sheepish grin. "I am sorry for my tardiness. It is quite hard finding a crime scene out here." Gai raised his head to survey the surrounding wheat field. "That Genma always waits until the last minute to harvest his crops."

Kakashi snapped a few quick pictures before standing from his crouched position over the corpse. "The frost would have taken care of the wheat in a few days anyway; we." He responded. "The cadaver dogs are sweeping the area. Hopefully we can find the rest of her remains soon."

"Any idea who it might be?" Gai asked while frowning at the victim's maimed body. "Well she's only been out here a few hours. Not really long enough for anyone to file a missing persons report."

"She would have had to been out after curfew…"

Kakashi nodded in agreement.

"Her parents probably didn't even know she was gone."

Both officers ducked under the crime scene tape while Kakashi motioned for the coroner to come over. Immediately a dark haired woman stomped over, steam practically pouring from her ears. "What the hell Kakashi! I have been waiting for _thirty _minutes. What took so long!?"

The chief of police smiled under his medical mask. "Well you see Shizune; we were actually trying to make your job easier."

"How could waiting half an hour be _making my job easier_?"

"Kakashi-sama, we found something."

Kakashi and Gai exchanged looks before following after the young officer. Of course Shizune came too, ranting the entire way. "I can't believe you—oh my god." There, in the middle of a golden brown sea, was the waist and legs of a small child."

"That's how."

Shizune could feel her throat beginning to close up. "B-but I t-thought _they_ o-only lived in the w-woods."

Gai placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, smiling softly as she jerked to look at him. "Don't worry. I'm sure there is a logical explanation for this…"

"No," Kakashi shook his head, "there is nothing logical about what happened here."

-

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**Chapter Two: Sherlock Haruno**

**-**

**-**

_In other news, the body of a young girl was found near the edge of town earlier today. If anyone has information regarding her identity or the identity of her slayer, please contact the Chief of police Hatake Kakshi at the following number: _

_555-_

Sakura quickly switched of the television with a shudder. Rolling over in bed, she groped the nightstand by her head in search of her cell phone. She nearly squealed in joy when she brushed the cold metal of her Motorola RAZR v3.

Sakura flipped it open, the screen illuminating her formerly dark room.

"Dang, no bars." She murmured. _'Now I'll have to go down stairs with _those_ people.' _She thought while grudgingly throwing back the covers. Her RAZR acting as a flashlight, Sakura managed to make it to the door in none piece…barely. Once outside, she cursed down at her bruised feet. _'Stupid light switch. Why the devil are the lights off anyway?_

Sakura somehow managed to hobble downstairs, screaming mental profanity as she went. Laughter floated from the kitchen, as well as a delightful smell that she forced her starving stomach no to cry for. "Sakura-Chan, how nice of you to join us!" Her _mother_ exclaimed with a dazzling smile. "You can finally meet Karin-Chan properly." Sakura's eyes shifted towards the girl sitting beside a man she assumed to me her father. Besides the crimson eyes and glasses she'd inherited from said man, she was an exact replica of her mother.

Karin's sweet smile was completely contradicted by her burning, vicious eyes. "It is a pleasure to meet you Sakura." She said in a tone coated with sugar. Sakura rolled her eyes. _'How fake.'_

"Actually Yumi, I have come to use the phone. My cell doesn't have any bars in Hillbilly Hell…I mean _Konoha_."

Yumi frowned deeply. "Oh, well the phone is over there," she replied while gesturing over her shoulder at the counter, "but I was really hoping that you would stay and have dinner with us…" Sakura brushed passed her mother's chair, swiping up the cordless receiver. "Actually Satoshi is taking me out for breakfast tomorrow. I don't want to ruin my appetite." Sure Sakura was lying but wouldn't you if you were in that situation? "You mean Sasuke." He _dear_sister corrected. Sakura waited until her mother and stepfather had turned around to flip said girl off.

She laughed as Karin turned back to the table, face flaming red. She turned to leave with a smirk, ignoring the "Good Night" thrown her way.

Walls of disturbing floral print, pale yellow comforters, the guest room Sakura was staying in seemed to be nothing less than an eyes sore. _'…Now I remember why I left it dark in her.' _

She thought with a disturbed frown appearing on her face.

Her fingers had already dialed the familiar number but the time she'd plopped onto her temporary bed.

_"Hello?"_

"Pup?"

_"Sakura?"_

She nodded even though her father could not see her.

"Pup, I want to go home. I hate it here." She heard the ruffling of sheets as her father set up and began to feel guilty for waking him.

_"Would I be correct in assuming that you have been positively fierce since you've been there."_

"Would I be correct in assuming that you have been watching 'America's Next Top Model' re-runs again?"

_"…Touche…but I do believe that this is not about me. You should give the place a chance before claiming to hate it."_

"But Pup, I'd much rather be back in the states with you!"

_"At least _try_to give it a chance okay Cherrypop?"_

"But—"

_"I have to go now, they're about to announce the winner."_

"Pup they're re-runs, you already know who's going to win!"

_Click_

Sakura huffed angrily and re-dialed the number.

_"Hello?"_

"YOU HUNG UP ONE ME!"

Sakura could practically feel her father's wince.

_"I'm watching the third cycle and you know Eva is my favorite."_

"Whatever, just send me some money for a plane ticket and I'll ride the train back to the airport."

_"I never said you could come home."_

"What? Just why the hell not!"

_"You watch your language Missy!" _Her father warned.

Sakura mumbled an apology.

_"Let's make a deal. You give me one good reason why and you can come home."_

Sakura was already racking her brain for answers before her father had even finished the sentence.

-

-

-

"You want me to what now?"

Sakura ran a hand through her hair in agrivation and glared up at the dark haired boy in front of her. Her guide had come by early to pick her up. By early I mean just as the sun appeared. Of course, this worked out in Sakura's favor. Now she could talk to him without anyone overhearing. Sadly, it wasn't reall going as she planned. "I have to solve the mystery of the Konoha Murders so my pup will believe me and let me come home early."

"Yes, but what does that have to do with _me_."

"Well Seto—"

"Sasuke." The boy corrected with a glard of his own.

"Fine then, _Sasuke_. The sooner I solve this mystery, the sooner I'm out of your hair."

Sasuke gazed upward at the sky as if he expected the right answer simply fall and smack him in the head. Finally, after minutes of agonizing silence, (On Sakura's part) he smirked. "I'll help, if you do something for me."

She should have known better than to agree before knowing what the consiquences would be, but she didn't.

And now she would have to pay the price.

-

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**Hey guys, sorry for the long wait. **

**I kind of forgot I had a story open. XP**

**Anyway, congrats to Kisa Kisa Yum Yum for winning the contest.**

**(The OC is a boy by the way.)**

**REVIEW RESPONSES**

**Hawkspirit16: I know right? Such a creepy old man.**

**Cherry-chan14: Thanks so much!**

**Kisa Kisa Yum Yum: Ha, thanks for pointing that out. The victim was originally a girl but then I had this great idea and switched it to a boy. I fixed it though. Thanks again!**

**R&R People!**


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